How I Use Notion to Keep My Apartment Tidy
Being at home almost 24/7 now, I’ve found myself constantly cleaning. I think just being at home and existing makes my apartment messy and I can’t tell you how many times a day I’m either picking up, thinking of picking up, or making plans to pick up around the house. Add to that the fact that I live with my husband and a dog, our apartment can get really gross quickly and resentment can build up when both of us start feeling like we’re doing everything when really, we’re just not coordinating.
At the beginning of the year, I discovered this app called Notion. I talked about it a little in this post about my favorite planning apps, but today I want to talk specifically about how I use it at home with my husband to keep our space tidy. If you’re into organization, planning, and productivity, you’re going to love this post!
Related post: My Favorite Apps for Planning
Task
The screengrab above is just a few of the chores that my husband and I have to do (we do far more chores than just these). The very first column is dedicated to the task itself. When compiling this list, we decided to just list all the chores we do or need to do around the house, regardless of how often we actually do them. We ended up with a list of 34 chores.
Frequency
Next, we determined how frequently each chore needed to be done. Things like putting away dishes, handwashing pots and pans that don’t fit in the dishwasher, making sure the sink is clean and empty at the end of the night are daily chores. We also have chores that need to be done weekly like vacuuming, changing our bedsheets, and cleaning the bathroom. Next, we have some monthly tasks like cleaning out the microwave and organizing the pantry. Finally, we have a few seasonal tasks (in our household, we consider that four times per year) like cleaning out our oven.
Related post: WFH Tips for When You Don’t Live Alone
Last Done/Do Next
This one took quite a bit of coding but I figured out how to make it so that if I entered a date in the “Last Done” column, the “Do Next” date would automatically populate based on the frequency. For example, if I cleaned the stovetop, a daily chore, I would put today’s date in, and once it’s been entered, the spreadsheet would calculate that the next time the chore would need to be done is tomorrow, so in the “Do Next” column, tomorrow’s date would automatically pull up. This way, we can see which chores have been done and when, while also being able to see when the chore is due again.
Assignments
Originally, Brian and I had all of these chores assigned BUT, life doesn’t happen that way and sometimes one person is busy so the other person has to step up and vice versa. We now use the “Assigned to” column more as a “Who did it last” tab. That way, we can both see who did what chore and when. It keeps us both accountable and transparent about chores in the house.
So what do you guys think? Would you give Notion or even a chores spreadsheet like this a try at home? Let me know in the comments!